Month: June 2016

Economics and Investing:

Why $50 Oil Makes Sense – “Oil has reached $50 on supply outages and steady demand growth, but for oil to breach this level, either supply or demand fundamentals need to move.” o o o Cybercrime isn’t the only reason cash remains king o o o JP Morgan Boss Warns of Brexit Job Cuts if U.K. Backs ‘Terrible Deal’ o o o Mystifying Bond Buybacks in Russia Could Be an Edge Against Fed o o o The fact that this sort of idea can make it onto a ballot is truly scary: Why the Swiss voted ‘No’ to a guaranteed …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Yet another reason to get your kids out of public schools: Elementary school sends deputy to boy’s home to warn him about sharing Bible verses – T.P. o o o Grasshopper Nation: Planning For Those Who Aren’t Prepared – We’ve all heard those dreaded words before “I know where I’m going if the <whatever> happens. I’m coming to your house!” I especially enjoyed the throwback to the the 1962 Twilight Zone episode “The Shelter”. – G.G. o o o Barack Obama Warns Americans ‘To Be Prepared For A Disaster’ – B.B. o o o Palestinian and Syrian Muslims Buy Honduran …


Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“Pournelle’s Iron Law of Bureaucracy states that in any bureaucratic organization there will be two kinds of people: those who work to further the actual goals of the organization, and those who work for the organization itself. Examples in education would be teachers who work and sacrifice to teach children, vs. union representative who work to protect any teacher including the most incompetent. The Iron Law states that in all cases, the second type of person will always gain control of the organization, and will always write the rules under which the organization functions.” – Jerry Pournelle, Chaos Manor View …


Notes for Sunday – June 05, 2016

On June 5, 1933, the United States went off the gold standard when Congress enacted a joint resolution nullifying the right of creditors to demand payment in gold. FDR had previously declared a nationwide bank moratorium in order to prevent a run on the banks by consumers lacking confidence in the economy. He also forbade banks to pay out gold or to export it.


Tea for Two Hundred, This Year and Next- Part 3, by Sarah Latimer

Selecting Plants for Tea and Tea Flavoring Actual tea of the green and black variety is camellia sinensis. The tender new leaves of this plant are picked for tea. Drying and Storing Tea Ingredients Tea and tea flavorings require that we overcome the same obstacles faced in safely preserving nutrients, flavor, texture, and general health benefits of any food. The culprits are oxygen, sunlight, moisture, heat, and unwanted consumers, like insects and mice. Traditional tea, herbal tea, and flavorings must be dried, stored in containers (preferably air tight ones, under a vacuum), and in darkness (away from UV light) to …


Letter Re: Avian Flu Consequences

Hugh, Last July I sent out a warning about the duck population in Wisconsin. Last year, out of 40 hens only three hens reproduced and had 14 ducklings. The year before (2014), we had about 20 hens, and just about all had young, averaging 10 ducklings each. Avian flu pretty much wiped out reproduction last year and prompted my warnings about stopping the hunt that fall. Nobody listened! This year, the population of adult ducks is down about 75% from 2015 levels. So far, we have three hens that haven’t nested, five hens that have come off the nest with …


Economics and Investing:

Omen of times to come: Lady riots after EBT card fails – Submitted by RBS. HJL’s Comment: We’ve seen this sort of thing before. In October of 2013, the EBT system went down in much of the nation. It only took a few hours for word to spread as the welfare roles abused the vouchers and emptied the shelves of many stores, wreaking havoc along the way. o o o This financial bubble is 8 times bigger than the 2008 subprime crisis o o o Derailed! A June Rate Hike Is Off o o o Video: Brexit – The Moment …


Odds ‘n Sods:

Hillary Clinton Posted Names of Hidden Intelligence Officials On Her Email JWR’s Comment: This miserable excuse for a human being belongs in prison rather than the White House. o o o SurvivalBlog reader R.T. sent the link to this video in on the Orion cooker that he picked up at an Ace Hardware store for $139. It looks pretty interesting. o o o Reader Rob commented on the Raspberry Pi camera link: “You can also use the RaspPi with the new FLIR lepton module. I’ve built a couple of these up and they make nice little units. All up, under …



Notes for Saturday – June 04, 2016

On this day, June 4th, in 1944 United States Navy Task Group 22.3 captured U-505, a German submarine and with it an intact Enigma cypher machine. This was the first time since the USS Peacock seized HMS Nautilus in 1815 that the USN had captured an enemy vessel at sea. The sub, reunited with its periscope a decade ago, is displayed at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago.


Guest Article: Open Source Intelligence, by Samuel Culper

In light of an election season, economic conditions, and domestic stability particularly vulnerable to disruption, we should examine a distinct possibility. Under Title 10 of the U.S. Constitution (as described in Title 18, USC Section 1385), the President has the authorization to order military forces to support civil authorities and to aid domestic security efforts. These operations are referred to as Military Assistance to Civil Disturbances. After the Watts Riots of 1965, the U.S. Army drafted a plan for the Defense Department, codenamed Operation Garden Plot. Since then, U.S. Presidents have authorized both regular army and national guard troops to …


Two Letters Re: Hunting for Self Sufficiency

Hugh, DK may want to investigate joining a private hunting club that leases or owns their own private land to allow hunting boar year round and of course other game in season. – Lone Prepper o o o Hugh, The statement “In spite of that, all Florida public lands only allow boar hunting for a few weeks of the year in special WMAs” is kind of misleading. In reading this, it sounds like a person is only allowed to hunt hogs at certain times in certain areas and with a permit; this is not true. This statement applies only to …


Economics and Investing:

Can Bitcoin Uber The Fed? Gilder Says Gold Standard Is Coming Whether Central Banks Want It Or Not o o o The Startling Truth About How Working Families Are Truly Faring In This Economy. – Sent in by B.B. o o o Funniest BLS Report Ever. “Only a captured government drone could put out a report showing only 38,000 new jobs created, with the working age population rising by 205,000, and … report the unemployment rate plunged from 5.0% to 4.7%, the lowest since August 2007.” – Warning: Some inappropriate language. o o o What Will Happen When Brainwashed Middle …


Odds ‘n Sods:

SafeCastle has a shipment of dehydrated whole eggs (military surplus with a shelf life of 10+ years) along with a great deal on Mountain House Foods. Stop by and check it out. o o o An interesting commentary of Hillary by Judge Andrew Napolitano: Hillary on the Ropes – C.T. o o o Coming Destruction? Alan Greenspan Warns “Venezuela Under Martial Law and America Is Next”. Sent in by RBS. o o o Believe It or Not, the Pentagon’s Cybersecurity Priorities Haven’t Changed in a Decade. Submitted by T.Z. o o o Professor Says American Patriots More Dangerous Than Foreign …


Hugh’s Quote of the Day:

“O Lord, my strength, and my fortress, and my refuge in the day of affliction, the Gentiles shall come unto thee from the ends of the earth, and shall say, Surely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things wherein there is no profit. Shall a man make gods unto himself, and they are no gods? Therefore, behold, I will this once cause them to know, I will cause them to know mine hand and my might; and they shall know that my name is The Lord.” – Jeremiah 16:19-21 (KJV)